Casey was silent for a moment, but then let out a long sigh.
“That’s right. To become a royal maid, you have to receive rigorous training from a young age. My father brought me in as a maid of the Duke’s house when I was six, to make me a royal maid, and even a maid of Her Majesty the Empress.”
The training to become a maid was extremely diverse.
The eye for art such as writing and painting, the intelligence to speak wittily, the manners of dealing with the situation, and even virtue.
Countless hours of practice and effort were needed to learn all of these. Etiquette was the basics, and even the practice of writing had to be done properly.
The maids’ writing style was also elegant and gentle. Although it had not been officially published yet, the maids were secretly creating court literature.
“When I became the maid of the Crown Princess, I felt like I had everything in the world. So the sense of loss I feel now is natural.”
Ines nodded in understanding.
“I don’t know why I’m saying these things to you, the first person I’ve met. I can stand people saying things about me. But it’s really hard to bear the feeling of my entire life being denied.”
“Lady Hampshire.”
Her eyes fluttered when Ines called her so calmly. She seemed to regret what she had just said.
“Please forget everything I said.”
“Let me into the handmaiden's circle.”
“That’s right. To become a royal maid, you have to receive rigorous training from a young age. My father brought me in as a maid of the Duke’s house when I was six, to make me a royal maid, and even a maid of Her Majesty the Empress.”
The training to become a maid was extremely diverse.
The eye for art such as writing and painting, the intelligence to speak wittily, the manners of dealing with the situation, and even virtue.
Countless hours of practice and effort were needed to learn all of these. Etiquette was the basics, and even the practice of writing had to be done properly.
The maids’ writing style was also elegant and gentle. Although it had not been officially published yet, the maids were secretly creating court literature.
“When I became the maid of the Crown Princess, I felt like I had everything in the world. So the sense of loss I feel now is natural.”
Ines nodded in understanding.
“I don’t know why I’m saying these things to you, the first person I’ve met. I can stand people saying things about me. But it’s really hard to bear the feeling of my entire life being denied.”
“Lady Hampshire.”
Her eyes fluttered when Ines called her so calmly. She seemed to regret what she had just said.
“Please forget everything I said.”
“Let me into the handmaiden's circle.”
“Yes?”
“You’re still the Crown Princess’s closest maid at the Crown Princess’s palace. So please take me to the palace. The place I want to settle down is the imperial family.”
“But you’re old...”
“Of course, I know that it’s rare for someone as old as me to become a handmaiden. However, many are handmaiden even after they’ve become adults, and I’ve heard that there’s no set age for becoming a handmaiden.”
As Casey frowned as if she couldn’t believe it, a maid outside asked if she could start the carriage. She looked at Ines for a moment and shook her head.
“No, I can’t. I have nothing more to say. I think it would be better to go now.”
Then she grabbed the handle of the carriage. Ines said urgently.
“I understand that those who become masters pay a certain amount of tuition to the family that provided their education.”
A deep frown formed between her eyebrows at the blatant statement.
“I am old and have not gone through that process, so I will pay the tuition all at once.”
There was honor in becoming a close maid, but there was also a big reason for money. The reason people preferred this position despite its unstable nature was because the monthly salary received as a close maid was quite high, and the wealth and information gained from working alongside the royal family was very great.
Therefore, if she quit the job, she would inevitably have financial difficulties. As far as Ines knew, the finances of the Orlando family were not so good.
Although Casey looked insulted, she could not easily open the carriage door and let Ines out.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. I would appreciate it if you could consider how desperate I am right now.”
Casey closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. Then she took her hand off the doorknob.
“Since you’re being honest, I’ll ask you one thing.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is that rumor true?”
“What...?”
“The rumor that you’re in a relationship with the Marquis.”
Ines couldn’t help but chuckle. Casey let out a long sigh at that.
“Excuse me. Such an obvious question...”
“No, I’ve said many things I shouldn’t have said when we first met.”
“I wouldn’t have acted so rashly normally. If we were really in a relationship, I wouldn’t have asked to be your maid.”
Ines hesitated for a moment, but she couldn’t let her go like that.
“I wouldn’t dare to be in a relationship with him... He would never turn me down.”
“Then ask him to be a maid of honor yourself. I’ll somehow deliver that letter.”
Ines shook her head.
“Of course, he’d accept it if I asked. But he’s going to be the Emperor now. He ascended to the throne without any blemish or scandal.”
A faint smile appeared on Ines’ face as she spoke of Carson. And as she continued, her face grew brighter and brighter.
“I am a woman who was a sinner. I cannot allow him to do anything that goes against imperial law as soon as he ascends to the throne.”
“...”
“But it is not against the law for me to become a maid.”
Somehow Casey couldn’t say anything to her. She was a royal maid, but she had never served her master so sincerely.
“You could tell your parents. Since you have so much money, anyone would want to make you a maid.”
“They don’t even know I’m in the capital.”
Casey burst into laughter.
“I could become a handmaiden after serving as a maid and earning merits, or if I'm lucky, I could get recommended and take the vacant position. Of course, even then, my status as a criminal could be a problem. But at least I'm not breaking the law.”
“Why are you going to all that trouble to enter the palace?”
Ines smiled brightly as if she had been waiting for that question. There was not a single bit of hesitation or fear in her smile.
“I owe him a great favor that I can never repay. So I swore before God that I would spend the rest of my life serving him. And I promised to go to him myself.”
“Lady Swenden.”
“Please call me Ines.”
“Yes, Ines. I understand what you said to some extent. I am still listed as the Crown Princess’s closest maid, so I can take you as my maid.”
Ines looked up at her, hearing that there was room for negotiation.
“But I don’t want to receive tuition from you.”
“Then...?”
She hesitated for a moment, unable to continue speaking. However, her hesitation did not last long.
“You said that the Marquis would not turn away Ines?”
“Yes.”
“Then, in exchange for taking you as my maid, you help me not to be kicked out of the palace.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want money. Of course, my family is currently in financial trouble. But I don’t want to quit my job more than that.”
“But...”
“Of course, I don’t know you well, but I can tell that you wouldn’t be able to ask the Marquis for such a favor. However, I am prepared to take you as my maid, even if all the palace maids will ridicule me. So please do what I want.”
Ines couldn’t answer rashly. Then Casey’s firm voice was heard again.
“If I prove my usefulness.”
“Usefulness?”
“Yes, if I can show that I am absolutely necessary to His Majesty the Emperor, then you will make a request for me.”
“...”
“Even if that request is not accepted, I will not blame you.”
She had come to ask for a favor and ended up accepting the request instead. However, Ines was not in a position to consider all the circumstances at the moment. If Casey was needed by the palace as she said, there was no reason why she could not make such a request, even if it meant using Ines's personal relationship.
And perhaps she could prevent Casey from going to Romfield.
Casey and Ines had not been as close as Charlotte, but they had still relied on each other quite a bit in that hellish place.
The day Ines was released, Casey’s figure following her out was vivid in her mind.
Perhaps meeting her again was another chapter of fate prepared by God.
“Good.”
The two nodded to each other in the dark carriage as the sun began to set.
“I also have to prove my worth to him.”
As Casey said, the two women’s eyes lit up with new hope as they vowed to stand in the two positions that everyone would ridicule.
Now Ines had come one step closer to him. Maybe soon she would be able to stand face to face with him up close.
At that moment, there was a commotion at Swenden Manor, where Ines had suddenly left behind a letter.
“What? Where, where did the messenger come from?”
“It’s the royal family, Viscount.”
Andrew hurriedly cleaned up his clothes and hurried to the main entrance of the manor to greet the royal messenger. His wife was already standing in the lobby.
“What’s going on?”
Andrew answered Elena’s anxious eyes with a faint smile and cautiously took the royal letter with his hands and read it. The two gave orders to treat the messenger and moved to the place where the family gathered for a meal.
“What’s it about?”
Elena’s voice trembled even more as her husband stared at the letter without saying anything.
“It’s a handwritten letter from the lord.”
“A handwritten letter?”
“Yes.”
The imperial court already considered him Emperor, but since the coronation had not yet been held, the letter had the seal of the Landhill estate alongside the imperial seal.
“Is it about the estate?”
“No.”
“Then...?”
“He’s not officially the Emperor yet, but the coronation is coming soon...”
“Why are you telling us that story separately?”
“So...”
When Andrew couldn’t continue speaking, Elena, frustrated, took the letter from her husband. The letter she read carefully contained the following content. It said that he would come to get Ines as soon as the situation was sorted out and that he should take good care of her in the Swenden family. In addition, it said that no other family name would be allowed for her at the moment except for Swenden.
“What should I do about this? I have to send a reply to the messenger right now.”
Elena raised her tone in embarrassment and frowned at her husband’s embarrassed face.
“I have to tell you the truth.”
After Ines disappeared, the Swenden family was busier than ever. They had to send a rejection reply to each family that had submitted a marriage proposal to Ines’ family. The story included a lie that her health had suddenly deteriorated and she had gone to a more secluded estate for a vacation.
But that was not all. Even though Ines had disobeyed her parents and run away from home, she had not forgotten to ask her father for various favors.
“If I prove my usefulness.”
“Usefulness?”
“Yes, if I can show that I am absolutely necessary to His Majesty the Emperor, then you will make a request for me.”
“...”
“Even if that request is not accepted, I will not blame you.”
She had come to ask for a favor and ended up accepting the request instead. However, Ines was not in a position to consider all the circumstances at the moment. If Casey was needed by the palace as she said, there was no reason why she could not make such a request, even if it meant using Ines's personal relationship.
And perhaps she could prevent Casey from going to Romfield.
Casey and Ines had not been as close as Charlotte, but they had still relied on each other quite a bit in that hellish place.
The day Ines was released, Casey’s figure following her out was vivid in her mind.
Perhaps meeting her again was another chapter of fate prepared by God.
“Good.”
The two nodded to each other in the dark carriage as the sun began to set.
“I also have to prove my worth to him.”
As Casey said, the two women’s eyes lit up with new hope as they vowed to stand in the two positions that everyone would ridicule.
Now Ines had come one step closer to him. Maybe soon she would be able to stand face to face with him up close.
***
At that moment, there was a commotion at Swenden Manor, where Ines had suddenly left behind a letter.
“What? Where, where did the messenger come from?”
“It’s the royal family, Viscount.”
Andrew hurriedly cleaned up his clothes and hurried to the main entrance of the manor to greet the royal messenger. His wife was already standing in the lobby.
“What’s going on?”
Andrew answered Elena’s anxious eyes with a faint smile and cautiously took the royal letter with his hands and read it. The two gave orders to treat the messenger and moved to the place where the family gathered for a meal.
“What’s it about?”
Elena’s voice trembled even more as her husband stared at the letter without saying anything.
“It’s a handwritten letter from the lord.”
“A handwritten letter?”
“Yes.”
The imperial court already considered him Emperor, but since the coronation had not yet been held, the letter had the seal of the Landhill estate alongside the imperial seal.
“Is it about the estate?”
“No.”
“Then...?”
“He’s not officially the Emperor yet, but the coronation is coming soon...”
“Why are you telling us that story separately?”
“So...”
When Andrew couldn’t continue speaking, Elena, frustrated, took the letter from her husband. The letter she read carefully contained the following content. It said that he would come to get Ines as soon as the situation was sorted out and that he should take good care of her in the Swenden family. In addition, it said that no other family name would be allowed for her at the moment except for Swenden.
“What should I do about this? I have to send a reply to the messenger right now.”
Elena raised her tone in embarrassment and frowned at her husband’s embarrassed face.
“I have to tell you the truth.”
After Ines disappeared, the Swenden family was busier than ever. They had to send a rejection reply to each family that had submitted a marriage proposal to Ines’ family. The story included a lie that her health had suddenly deteriorated and she had gone to a more secluded estate for a vacation.
But that was not all. Even though Ines had disobeyed her parents and run away from home, she had not forgotten to ask her father for various favors.
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